Triple Mayhem
by Miss Wattage
Summary: This follows the story of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone if Harry happen to have siblings. Harry, Vega, and Phoenix are seperated after Voldemort's attack on Halloween and grow up in completely different places. How will the Wizarding World react to three people who don't fit into the images that destiny wove for them?
1. Chapter 1

AN: I do not own the rights of Harry Potter.

Prolouge

July, 31, 1980.

James Potter gazed down at the three sleeping infants in his and Lily's arms. "They're beautiful, Lil's," he said as the youngest began to move. Lily nodded, flushed with exhaustion but a proud smile on her face. "They are," she gently touched the second youngest's hand, gasping slightly when he clasped onto her finger.

The two sat holding their babies until one of the nurses bustled in, wand in one hand and several sheets of paper in the onther. "Hello dears, just some finalizations and then everything will be all set," she said as she placed the papers onto a small side table. "What is the eldest's name?" She asked, wand poised above the birth certificate. James cleared his throat, "Michael Sirius Potter." He glanced at the black haired baby on his right with a smile as the nurse hummed. "A fine name. And the middle child's name?"

"Harold James Potter," Lily said, smiling down at the baby in her arms. "And the last one's Charles Remus Potter," she said. The nurse nodded at each one, muttering "A fine name" as she wrote everything down. Finally the nurse turned to the Potter's, handed them the stack of papers, then with a cheery "See you in a bit, dears" she left. Moments later the door opened again and three wizards trampled in. "The nurses said we could come in," Remus Lupin said while Sirius Black talked over him saying, "Which one is mine? They're so tiny!" Peter Pettigrew just shared a look with Lily before saying, "He wanted to come in as Padfoot."

"Kids like dogs, Wormtail," Sirius defended, glaring slightly at the pudgy wizard. James cut in before a fight could start, pointing Sirius in the direction of Lily. "Sirius, will you be Harry's godfather?"

"It would be my honor to uphold the marauder spirit in this tint being," he sad seriously before going over to Lily and Harry. "Pete, Remus, will you two be Michael and Charles' godfathers?" The two men quickly agreed and within an hour Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter were escourted out of the hospital room, the triplets taken to the NICU, and Lily was left to rest before the next day's visit.

October, 31, 1981.

Lily couldn't believe how much her children had grown in such a short time. Michael looked like James with the signature black Potter hair and hazel eyes; he was a very calm baby and very protective of his younger brothers. Harry look like an almost exact copy of James with his messy black hair and features but he had her startling green eyes; he was also calm and seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble. Charles was the only one to have her red hair and his eyes were a peculiar shade of maybe hazel maybe green; he was the most active and curious of the three.

Currently the three boys were sitting down in the living room with James not getting into trouble.

Lily raised her eyebrow when she saw the three dressed in minture deer costumes to match her currently a deer husband. "When I said get them ready for bed, I didn't mean dress them as yourself," she said, picking up Harry and Charles from the floor and setting them back on the couch with Michael. In a second the deer vanished and James took its place, glasses skewered and a sheepish grin on his face. "But Lily, look how cute they are. And they like Prongs," he added, running a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more. "Even so, they need a bath and then bed." And with that she picked up two of the kids and headed upstairs to the bathroom. She set Charles and Michael on the flolr while she ran water into the tub, not the least bit surprised when James came in a moment later carrying Harry. The bath was uneventful and soon the two had the triplets dried, in pajamas and were about to put them to bed when a soft thud echoed through the hall. The two shared a look before taking out their wands. James handed Harry to Lily and slowly, sliently, crept downstairs. He checked the living room and kitchen, found nothing and then went to the foyer where the front door and dining room were.

He moved along the wall and, with his wand in front of him, turned to the foyer and froze. The front door was cracked open. Without warning red light shot at him, forcing him to duck and turn into the foyer completely to avoid it. "Lily, run!" He called out as he fired off a curse at the intruder. The back and forth dueling went on for only a minute before the intruder cried, "Avada Kedvara," and shot green light at the other wizard. James tried ducking away but was pinned in the cornor, unable to avoid it. Seconds later his lifeless body slumped to the ground and the cloaked intruder headed upstairs.

Lily, hearing nothing from below, grabbed the kids and rushed to their room, dropping her wand in the process. She set them in one bed and pushed the other two in front of the door as she tried figuring a way out. Apperation was out, there was only one fireplace in the house and it was downstairs so floo was out, and her broom was also downstairs. She went to the window and tried lifting it but couldn't and there was nothing near by to break it open with either. Before she could search for something to break the window, the door knob rattled then the cribs began inching away from the door as it opened. Lunging forward until she stood in front of her children, Lily watched in horrified silence as the cloaked intruder entered the room.

"Please not them, not them. Please have mercy... have mercy," she begged the figure as they approached. "Step aside, girl. You don't have to die," the figure said in a smooth, gruttle voice. "No, not them," she said, "take me. Take me, instead," she begged. The intruder raised his wand and tried pushing her away but Lily, with a manic shriek, lunged back at him, trying to knock him away from her kids.

With a growl the intruder kicked her away and before she could get up he sent a ball of green light towards her, hitting her in the chest and knocking her back to the floor. Without anymore obsticals in his way, the intruder lifted his wand and once more sent the green light at the children.

It happened so fast, one moment the triplets were covered in the green light and the next it was bounding towards him twice as fast. With a screech the intruder clawed at himself as he burned up, leaving only a pile of smoking cloth, ashes, and a slightly singed wand pointing toward the triplets.

Within minutes a giant of a man came in, sniffling as he looked from the body on the ground to the triplets, sitting up in bed and calling out. He carefully picked each child up, wrapped them in a blanket, then took them downstairs and out into the cool night. He hopped onto the motorcycle he'd gotten from Sirius earlier that night and, placing the children in the side car, started driving until the motorcylce had enough speed to fly.

After a little, bit the giant man landed in a dark neighborhood only to be greeted by a strict looking woman and an elderly man. "Evenin' Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore," he rumbled as he stepped off the motorbike.

"Good evening, Hagrid. Did you bring them?" The elderly wizard, Dumbledore, asked kindly. "Yeh, the they fell asleep as we went over Bristol," Hagrid said as he plucked three bundles of blankets from the sidecar. "I can't believe what 'appened to Lily and James. And leavin' their kids so young," Hagrid sniffed. While McGonagall comforted Hagrid, Dumbledore took one of the bundles and set it on the doorstep of number 4, Privet Drive. He carefully set a letter with the name Harry Potter next to the baby before bending down to whisper, "Good luck, Harry." Then he straightened up and turned back to the pair.

"Albus," McGonagall hissed, "are you really leaving him here, alone, with these people?" Dumbledore sighed wearily. "My dear Professor, this is one of the safest places for him," he explained. McGonagall huffed, "And why can't the tree of them be raised together?"

"It will be harder to keep three children, all of whom defeated Voldemort, safe together than it will be apart." Mcgonagall huffed again, "I still don't like this, Albus," she said. Dumbledore nodded, "I agree but it is for the best. We should leave, there's no need to dwaddle. Go, celebrate— today is finally the end of the war," he said. Without anymore protests, Hagrid lumbered back to the motorcycle and McGonagall, as a cat, slunk towards an alley before dissappearing around the cornor. Dumbledore glanced between the two Potter boys in his arms and the third one on the doorstep before he turned around and apperated away to deliver the other boys to their new homes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

November, 1, 1981.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were completely normal, thank you very much. They lived in a normal house, in a normal neighborhood, with normal neighbors that had normal pastimes and didn't belomg to those people. And who were these dispicable people? Why the abnormal, freakish people who could do magic; Mrs. Dursley's sister was one of such people.

Mrs. Dursley was a thin, horsey woman while her husband was a whale of a man. Their son, Dudley, rook after his parents with Mr. Dursley's girth and Mrs. Dursley's coltish movements, turning the one year old into a piglet shaped beach ball. On the morning of November, 1, Mrs. Durlsey was greeted by the sight of not just the milk jars but also her nephew, wrapped in a blanket with a letter resting on top of him. This displeased her and she was tempted to just leave the baby there but the fear of the neighbors finding the baby and asking questions about whether they were normal or not stood out in her mind. "Vernon, come quick," she said, giving into her fear as she picked the child up. The two Dursleys stared at the still sleeping baby while Dudley screamed in the background. The letter was, unfortunately, the gruding deciding factor in keeping him.

July, 31, 1991.

Ten years had past since that awful night of death and the celebration of the end of Lord Voldemort's reign. The Dursley's house couldn't look more the same if its occupants tried. The only difference was the famed photos of a colorful beach ball in different bonnets becoming an older Dudley Dursley. Petunia was still as horsey looking as before, Vernon was still a whale of a man, and Dudley had grown out of his beach ball phase to look like a pig. Nobody would know that there were four occupants in the house instead of three unless it was absolutely necessary.

Hidden under the stairs was the last member of the family. Harry Potter was a thin boy with messy black hair and bright green eyes. His clothes were Dudley's old ones and the glasses he wore were a pair of cheap reading glasses Petunia picked up from the store. He knew his parents had died in a car crash, leaving him with his most distinguished feature: a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. He remembers asking his aunt how it had happened, the car accident, and the reply seemed to have shocked her as well.

"They were drunk and tried keeping you and those no good brothers of yours from crying," she sneared, face pale from her slip up. Harry had perked up and before she could regain her composure he said hurriedly, "Brothers? Are they alive?"

Petunia's face had regained its color and she smiled nastily at him. "Don't ask anymore questions," and that was the first and last time Harry heard about his brothers.

He had been four. That conversation stuck with him, even though it had less to do with his parents death then the siblings he didn't even know he had. If they were alive did they know about him? Were they searching for him, ready to take him away from the Dursley'sfor good? One day, when Petunia told him to clean the attic and Vernon had taken Dudley to his work for the day, Harry found a faded picture of him and two other babies.

On the back, written in neat cursive, was the date and three names, each one identifing one of the boys. On the left was a hazel eyed baby with black hair that the name listed as Michael Sirius. In the middle was him, snuggled between them and sleeping. And the last baby was sleeping but had auburn hair and was listed as Charles Remus.

From that day forward Harry kept the picture a secret, hiding it under the worn mattress under the stairs. He didn't resent his brothers if they were alive. Sure he would have liked the company if the Dursley's were in a particuliarly foul mood, maybe some help if Dudley wanted to play Harry Hunting, but there was nothing they could have done either.

The morning his life changed started with the mail, or more specifically, the letter addressed to him.

Vernon, in a fit of rage, nailed the mail slot shut to keep the continuous letters out. This went on for a solid until the man, mustache twiching and face beet red, moved his family away from the house and to a shack near the ocean. It wasn't terrible, all things considered. There wasn't any closets so Harry was able to be out in the open and dispite the hatred from the Dursley's, it was a nice change of scenery. Vernon and Petunia were upstairs sleeping while Dudley was on the couch, cacooned in blankets and snoring away. Harry usually didn't resent his brothers but tonight he felt the smallest bit of jealousy and anger towards them.

They probably had nice families who didn't hate them for even existing or made them sleep under the stair and on the cold, dirt floor. They were allowed to read their letters if they got them instead of running away from them and being punished for them. He scowled darkly at the birthday cake drawing before glancing at the clock and sighing. "Make a wish, Harry," he muttered, then he gently blew on the drawing until it was no longer there.

He stood up and streched just as a flash of light ing illuminated the room and a loud bang hit the door. From upstairs, the two adults sat up quickly and without a moments hesitation ran towards the living room. "Who's there?" Vernon shouted. The rifle in his hands shook slightly as he aimed at the door. "I warn you— I'm armed!" The three Dursley's stood at the base of the stairs, Petunia behind Vernon and Dudley crouched behind his mother. Harry ducked behind the wall just as the door smashed in, hitting the ground. The giant of a man walked inside and with a cheery, "Sorry 'bout that," he picked up the door and shoved it back in place.

Vernon, rifle still shaking, aimed at the man. The giant glanced over and with a quick twist of his wdist the gun was pointing towards the ceiling. "Dry up, yeh old prune," he man said before walking towards Harry.

"An' here's Harry! Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," he sniffles at the sudden reminder. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes. Hold on, got sommat for yeh here— I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right." Harry watched as the man pulled out a slightly squashed box. He opened it, nervous as to what it was. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with the words Happy Birthday Harry wditten in green icing across the top.

He meant to say thank you but what came out instead was, "Who are you?" The man chuckled, "I haven't introduced meself, have I? Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Harry had never heard of such a place and he was quite sure he would remember if he had, the name stood out. Hagrid blinked, "Yeh, but yeh'll know all abou' that." Harry frowned, "I've never heard of any place called Hogwarts."

The giant glared at the Dursley's who shrank back against the stairs. "I knew yeh were't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud!"

"Sorry," he said as the giant lept to his feet and glared darkly at the still cowering Dursley's. "Sorry? It's them that should be sorry. Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"

"Learned what?"

Hagrid mumbled to himself before straightening to his full height and fishing a letter from his jacket. Harry examined the odd seal before opening it.

HOGWART SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Superme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress.

Harry read and re-read the letter, trying to make sense of it. "I don't think I understand Mr. Hagrid," he said, still staring at the letter. "Jus' call me Hagrid, everybody does. And this," he said, tapping at the letter. "Is the letter for Hogwarts, school where yer parents went. As to what yeh learn— magic." Harry wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. Magic. That made absolutely no sense no matter how he looked at it. Hagrid must have seen something in his look because he said, "Yer a wizard, Harry."

The giant looked so earnest and when he glanced at the Dursley's their enraged expressions stood out against the dim light from the fireplace. It would explain some of the weird things that happened around him, like when he turned his teacher's hair blue or floated on top of a roof when Dudley was chasing him.

The more he thought about it the more everything made sense. The Dursley's hated him and anything not like them, often complaining or shrewdly punishing every little mistake he made. If his parents were wizards then that would mean there was a chance that his brothers were as well.

With a nod he finished reading the letter then said, "When do we leave?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

November, 1, 1981.

Dumbledore apperated to another neighborhood, this one already partically dark. He turned towards the last house on Grittle Drive and set the second Potter child on the stop. He added the letter, whispered a quiet "Good luck, Michael," then left again to hide the last of the triplets.

Early the next morning a nobel looking woman stepped outside to start her morning run when she found him. Pausing to look down the street, she picked the child up and brought him inside, yelling for someone named Sagittarius.

July, 31, 1991.

The last house on Grittle Drive was much like the Dursley's on the outside, but inside was anything but. For one thing each room used only one color and for another the decorations used were a bit odd.

They ranged from normal pictures and paintings to pieces of trashed nailed to the walls and bundles shrunken heads hanging from the ceiling instead of plants. The people who lived there were jut as odd as their house. Lyra Gray was a normal enough looking woman if not for her obnoxiously bright clothing and loud accessaries she wore. Her husband Sagittarius was the exact opposite of his wife with a very bird-like appearence and a dark wardrobe. The most normal person was the last family member. Vega Gray was a thin but muscular young man with messy black hair and hazel eyes. He knew that the Gray's had found him on their doorstep early one morning and that his actual name was Michael Potter, but the few things he knew never felt like enough. Which was why when he was about seven, he had decided to try and find some answers.

The only places he could think of was his father's study, which was off limits, and his parents bedroom, also off limits. This led to many nights of planning until he could sneak into one of the rooms and begin searching. He was rewarded for his efforts with a letter made of stiff parchment and a wax seal holding it close. Inside was just the same thing his parents had told him until he unfolded the paper to read the bottom. A picture of three babies slid out and landed on the floor beneath the desk. Right before Vega could grab the picture heavy footsteps came towards the study door. Paniced, he folded the paper back up, slipped it back into the draw then slid down from the chair and under the desk. His father stomped in, his shiny black shoes inches from where he was hiding and even closer to the picture that he had forgotten to grab.

The closer the shoes got the more nervious Vega became until he was almost bursting at the seems. Finally his father found what he was looking for and left, leaving him breathless with relief. He waited a few minutes longer just to be certain that he hadn't been caught before grabbing the picture and hustling back to his room.

The picture was of two other babies and himself, if the names on the back proved anything. Vega was shocked that he had siblings— brothers. He wondered where they were, whether they were even alive and if so whether they knew about him. By the time he was eleven, the photo of him and his brothers was well worn and creased from constant folding and unfolding.

"Happy birthday, Vega," Lyra said happily the moment she saw him. Sagittarius just nodded along with his wife, a smile on his thin lips.

"Thank you," he said, "so, what's on today agenda? Toad collecting, head shrinking, potion hazards?" The two adults didn't look nearly as amused as he did, expecially when he mentioned the last one. The Potion Explosion of '87 wasn't supose to be brought up ever again for very painful reasons.

"Nothing much, today," Lyra said as she sipped at her coffee. "You remember Ms. Arina from down the street?"

"The crazy lady who claims her dog can see the future and is her past self," Vega comfirmed. "Well, she says that Arina the Second is having stomach issuses and she's not certain whether it's the dog or her."

"Right," he honestly wasn't surprised anymore. The three of them finished breakfast before Lyra and Sagittarius left for Ms. Arina's and Vega was left on his own.

Today was his eleventh birhtday and somewhere it was his brothers' birthday. He wondered if they had to deal with crazy neighbors and clients daily or if they were happy right now.

He was so lost in thought that he missed the tawny barn owl that swooped down at him. Vega wasn't proud to say that he jumped when the owl landed on him, letter clutched in its feet. He smoothed the front of his shirt down with one hand as he took the letter with the other. The owl huffed as he slowly turned the letter around, "Okay, here," he said as he headed back inside. Vega quickly got the small cookie jar off the fridge, took the lid off and handed the owl a few of the treats.

Then he turned to his letter, his face smooth and devoided of emotion.

HOGWART SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Superme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress.

Vega folded the letter back up and placed it in the envolope before setting it on the table. If his brothers were alive then chances were that they would get a Hogwart's letter, too. He was already planning how he would find them, a glint in his hazel eyes at the challange ahead off him. "Well this will be interesting," he said to the owl, petting its feathers before it flew away. "Very interesting, indeed."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

The last stop Dumbledore made was to a house outside of Surrey. He laid the last Potter child on the front step, whispered the last good luck, and then apperated away. By morning nobody in the house had came to get the waking child and it wouldn't be until a few hours later that somebody would pick him up and take him home, letter and all

November, 1, 1981.

Phoenix Delaney trudged through the darkening streets as he made his way home. It had rained earlier making his worn shoes stick in the mud and when he walked they made a sicking sounds as they lifted off the ground. This continued until he reached a dead end street called Mulberry and then he took off at a run for the last house. It was small and a few of the windows were broken, but it was his.

Originally, Phoenix had lived with a scientist going by the name of Crow and his assistant, Raven. He had known from an early age that he had brothers and that his name wasn't actually Pheonix. As soon as he had been old enough to understand, Crow had handed him the letter and photo with a cheery, "I'll be in the lab if you need something!" And had left him to it.

When Raven had found out what her boss had done, she had refused to leave him and had told Crow exactly what she thought of the scientist. The man had apologised eventually, but it had been a good few years too late for it to matter much. A few days after the scientist had apologised and before Pheonix's ninth birthday, Crow and Raven had been doing an expirement when it backfired, badly. Crow died in the blast and Raven survived just long enough to later die in the hospital, leaving Pheonix the only survivor of the explosion since he had been away from the lab when the explosion took place.

The social worker had been a tired looking woman who seemed as happy as he had when he was first placed in the forster system. It had lasted less than three months before he decided it would be easier living by himself. Crow had taught him several survival skills and Raven had as well, some of them less legal than others but he hadn't been picky. Putting those skills to the test, Pheonix was proud to say that he had managed by himself for almost three years.

Pheonix slowed as he approached the house and patted the bag at his side before entering. The inside was dusty with a layer of grit on the floor. Adjusting his partially broken glasses, he walked towards the back of the house where a single, reletively clean room was. He turned to light the battery lantern before setting his bag on a makeshift desk made from a slab of wood and two old chairs. In one of the cornors was a single mattress and in another were a few crates stacked on top of each other as a persudo table and a rickety chair next to it.

All around the room were bits and pieces of junk and tools. From toasters and wrenchs to small bits of metal and screw drivers. There wasn't a surface that wasn't covered in something either broken or completely different.

Pheonix shuffled towards the makeshift table where a greased coated set of screw drivers were before going back to the desk. Inside the bag were various sized screws, a broken alarm clock, and a rusty bike chain that he had managed to pry off.

While he worked on taking apart the alarm clock, he thought of his brothers. Today was their birthday, he mused. Were they by themselves or surrounded by friends and loved ones, maybe even a pet or two? Did they think about him?

He chuckled quietly at that, positive that if his brothers knew about him that they would think about him.

Pheonix absently worked for several hours, lost in thought about his brothers and what they were like. He would later swear to build a brid alert, perhaps a specialized light that briefly confused the bird of where it wanted to go, as an owl flew through one of the broken windows and landed on his desk.

In its feet was a stiff piece of parchment, the expensive kind with a blob of red wax sealing it closed. He gingerly grasped the letter and, keeping an eye on the tawny owl watching him, broke the seal before removing an identical piece of parchment.

HOGWART SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Superme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress.

Magic, huh. Pheonix blinked as he re-read the letter, adjusting his glasses as he did. Much like Crow, Pheonix was a scientist, and the thought that magic existed seemed a bit doubtful. He also was a lot like Raven, which made him think, of course magic is real. In the end, he decided to approach the odd letter like the inventor he was and treat it like an oppurtunity to learn something new. If he was a, he checked the letter again, wizard then his brothers were as well. Of course, if not then he would be able to find them easier if magic actually existed. He eyed the owl again before slowly grabbing the least grease stained paper he had and writing out an affirmative reply followed by a request as to where he bought his supplies.

He carefully handed the owl the letter and tentively asked it to take the letter back to Hogwarts. With a screech and flap of its wings, the owl sailed out the window and into the warm night.

Pheonix spent the rest of the night trying to build an owl alert and thinking about his brothers, hoping to meet them sooner rather than later and planning all the ways he could utilize magic to find them. He wasn't even half way done when his head hit the desk, the sun starting to rise and dead asleep to the world, dreaming only about reuniting with two black haired boys and magic.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, or simply clicked on this.

Chapter 4

Harry woke up the next morning with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of course he'd dreamed everything up; he wasn't a wizard, there was no Hagrid, he wasn't going to a school away from the Dursley's. He was much more disappointed about not getting away from the Dursley's than he thought as a tapping noise echoed through out the hut. His eyes were closed and nothing short of Dudley sitting on him would make that change. He was going to try and savor his dream for as long as possible. The tapping incressed until Harry finally gave into his growing curiousity and opened his eyes. It wasn't a dream, he thought with wide eyes as Hagrid's heavey coat fell of him when he sat up.

He turned his attention to the hut's window where an owl was sitting, a newspaper in its beak and an exasperated look in its golden eyes. Harry turned away from the window to the collapsed couch where Hagrid was sleeping. He darted to the window and the moment it was open the owl flew in and dropped the newspaper on top of the sleeping giant before going to the coat and digging through it.

"Hagrid," Harry said loudly to the still sleeping man. "There's an owl—"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted.

"What?"

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." Harry raised an eyebrow at that; Hagrid's coat was just a bunch of pockets sewn into a wearable shape. After pulling out bunches of keys, pepermint humbugs, slug pellets, balls of string and teabags, Harry finally pulled out a bunch of strange looking coins.

"Give him five Knuts," Hagrid said sleepily.

"Knuts?"

"The little bronze ones." Harry counted out five of the bronze coins, and the owl held out its leg so he could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. As it flew off Hagrid sat up, streched, and yawned loudly. "Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

Harry hadn't thought that far and as he turned the wizarding coins in his hands he felt his throat tighten and he instictively clutched his hands into fists around the coins.

"Um, Hagrid? I don't have any money— and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia won't pay for me to learn magic, either."

"Don't worry abou' that," Hagrid stood up and scratched his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But if their house was destroyed— and what about my brothers?" Harry questioned, staring up at the gaint as he grabbed his coat and put it on. "They didn' keep gold in the house, boy! And o' course there's enough fer yer brothers. Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts, the wizards' bank. Have a sausage," Hagrid said, handing him a cold sausage before heading to the door. "Wizards have banks?"

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding and stared at Hagrid, waiting for him to laugh and tell him what wizard banks were really like. "Goblins?"

"Yeah— so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want to keep safe— 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway fer Dumbledor. Hogwarts business," Hagrid drew himself up proudly when he said that. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you, gettin' things from Gringotts— knows he can trust me, see. Got everythin'? Come on, then."

Harry followed Hagrid out of the hut and into the sunshine. It looked as though last night's storm had never happened with how calm and clear it was.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked as he walked next to the giant. "Flew," Hagrid said as they went down a few of the slick rocks that led to a steep drop into the water.

"Flew?" Harry hoped his incredulity wasn't as apparent as he thought it was. "Yeah— but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."

They settled down in the boat which creaked and rocked the moment they stepped on. Harry stared at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying but the image would come.

"Seems a shame ter row, though," Hagrid said, giving Harry a sideways look. "If I was ter, er, speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"

"Of course not," Harry was rather eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella and tapped it twice against the side of the boat, and they sped off towards land.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked over the water crashing against the sides of the boat. "Spells— enchantments," Hagrid unfolded his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high-security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way— Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

Harry sat in silence while Hagrid read his paper, the Daily Prophet. "Ministry o' Magic messin' things up again," Hagrid grumbled as he folded the paper back up. "There's a Ministry of Magic?"

"'Course there is. They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Always sendin' owls to Dumbledore fer advice every mornin', though."

"What does a Ministry of Magic do?" Harry asked, leaning forward. Hagrid scratched his beard, "Well, their main job is to keep it from Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?"

"Why?" Hagrid squinted at him. "Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magical solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

The boat bumped gently against the harbor wall and the two clambered out. The walk to the train station was an interesting one, Harry thought. Hagrid was easily twice as tall as anyone else, he also loudly pointed at random objects and exclaim merrily, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

The trip to London wasn't much different with Hagrid complaining about Muggle money and simply handing it to Harry to buy the tickets. People stared even more at the pair as Hagrid took up two seats alone and was knitting what looked like a yellow circus tent. "Got yer letter, Harry?" He asked as he counted stiches. Harry pulled the stiff parchment envelope out from his pocket.

"Good, there's a list there of everything yeh need."

Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Harry read the rest of the letter once more before turning to Hagrid. "Can we buy all this in London?

"If yeh no where to go," Hagrid answered as the train came to a stop.

Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid looked like he knew where he was going it was obvious to Harry that Hagrid probably wasn't used to going there the in an ordinary way. They walked past music stores and book stores, restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that would sell you a magic wand. It was just a normal street, could there really be piles of gold buried underneath them?

Were there really shops that sold spellbooks and broomsticks? Might this not be a cruel joke the Dursley's had thought up? Harry shook his head at that. The Dursley's were to normal to think up something this elaborate, even for a joke. "This is it," Hagrid came to a stop in front of a tiny, grubby looking pub. "The Leaky Cauldron. It's famous a famous place."

Harry thought that for a famous place it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in the cornor, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walrus. A bird like man and a twitchy woman were sitting at the bar, a boy around Harry's age sat next to them boredly.

The low buzz of chatter ceased the moment the two walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," Hagrid said, clapping Harry on the shoulder, making his knees buckle at the pressure. "Good Lord," the bartender, Tom, peered closer at Harry. "Is this— can this be—?"

Harry had never thought a place could be completely silent but he was ptoved wrong as everyone in the Leaky Cauldron remained as still and silent as statues. "Bless my soul," the bartender whispered, "Harry Potter... what an honor." He turned frokm the bat and rushed out to sieze Harry's hand, shaking it furiously with tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back." Harry didn't know what to say. The old woman with the pipe was still puffing on it even though there was nothing left, and the boy at the boy at the bar sudden stared at him with an unreadable expression. Hagrid beamed at him.

Then there was a great deal of chairs scraping back as people rushed forward to shake his hand.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand— now I'm all a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" Harry said as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a store."

"He remembers," the little man turned to the other people there. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!"

Harry shook hands again and again until it was the boy from the bar's turn. "Harry Potter? That is your name?" He asked, the unreadable expression still on his face. Harry nodded and the boy reach into his back pocket before pulling out a worn wallet and from inside a picture of three babies, creased and soft from constant folding and unfolding. He handed it to Harry with the beginnings of nervousness peeking through his otherwise blank expression.

"How did you get this?" Harry asked as he gazed at the same picture he had at home. The boy took a deep breath and held out his hand, the nerveousness replaced with a smile. "Michael Potter, but I've went by Vega Gray for most of my life." Harry was stunned as he took in the boy, his possible brother, in front of him. Now that he was looking, Harry could see the similarities between them. They had the same gravity defying black hair, and their facial features were almost the exact same, except the boy happen to have hazel eyes and didn't wear glasses.

Harry looked between the photo and the boy before smiling, deciding that, yes, it was the same person so he wasn't lying.

"So do I call you Michael or Vega?" Harry asked. "Vega, if you don't mind," the boy said, watching Harry with carefully. "So you're sure that you're my brother?"

"Older than you by, oh, two minutes, I suppose," Vega replied dryly. Harry narrowed his eyes, until Vega turned the photo over where the time of each brother was born was stamped, faded but still readable.

The two didn't say anything else as people still tried shaking Harry's hand, even going so far as to try and shake Vega's which resulted in a blank glare that had people back away towards the friendlier of the two.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching. "Professor Quirrell!" Hargid greeted. "Boys, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," he stammered, shaking first Vega's hand then Harry's. "C-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you, b-both of you."

"Pleased to meet you, too," Vega said while Harry asked, "What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," he muttered, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself."

Harry thought the man looked absolutely terrified of the idea. It took nearly ten minutes before Hagrid could lead Harry, Vega, and the couple he'd been sitting with; Lyra and Sagittarius, he introduced, away.

The back courtyard was small and held nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. It was a bit uncomfortable for everyone to fit in the courtyard, so Harry and Hagrid would go first and the Gray's would go next.

Hagrid mumbled to himself as he searched for his umbrella. Once he had it, he approached the wall and started counting the bricks behind the trash can. "Three up... two across..." he muttered.

"Right, stand back, Harry." He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. The brick he had touched quivered— it wiggled— in the middle, a small hole appeared— wider and wider until it became an archway big enough for Hagrid. Harry gaped at the cobbled street that twisted and turned out of view.

"Welcome," Hagrid said, "to Diagon Alley."

Vega stared after the giant and Harry. He couldn't believe his luck that he had been at the right place at the right time to meet Harry Potter. He was honestly surprised his brother had believed him so easily; Vega had been prepared for anything but that. Vega pulled out the second partchment from the letter and read through it.

HOGWART SCHOOL of WIZARDRY and WIZARDRY

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

"Where to first?" He asked as the three of them entered Diagon Alley.

"Hm," Lyra played with her ponytail before pursing her bright pink lips. "Let's head to Florish and Blotts first then we can get your equipment."

Florish and Blotts was packed with students and parents buying school books, the store clerks rushed about in a constant flurry as they got books down and rung up. The three of them didn't spend very long there as the moved about Diagon Alley gathering the required Hogwarts equipment.

Vega was slightly overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle as witches and wizards crowded the narrow street.

He tried spotting Harry through the crowd but was unsuccessful as Lyra and Sagittarius led him from place to place. Vega did spot, however, some very interesting looking people. There was the family with platinum blond hair and narrow, pointed faces; a brood of redheads, each one covered in freckles as far as he could tell; a woman in a pink wool sweater and large bow on her head that matched. Vega was paying more attention to finding more interesting people to look at that when someone bumped into him, they both fell rather undignified to the ground.

"Sorry, are you alright?" The boy in front of him was rather odd looking, with his shaggy red hair and glasses that were missing a lense, Vega honestly thought he was the oddest boy he'd met yet.

"Yeah, and you?" He asked. "Oh, I'm great, thanks," the boy beamed at him, fixing his glasses so the rested properly again. The two gathered up their things before saying another awkward apology and heading off in different directions.

What a strange boy, he thought as he headed into Madam Malkin's shop where Lyra and Sagittarius were.

Pheonix re-adjusted his glasses as he stepped into Florish and Blotts. It was honestly his favorite store with its many bookshelves stuffed until overflowing with books. Gringotts had been an adventure, with the goblins grumbling and glaring at him the entire time he had been there. They hadn't liked him any better when he asked what the money was and how much it equaled out to in Muggle money, as he assumed was regular cash.

Once that had been accomplished, Phoenix had taken out his letter and grabbed the second sheet behind it.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.

A Begginers' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

Phoenix thought they all sounded delightful, and was quite disappointed when he left the bookstore. Next came the robes and then the last of his equipment. The last place he had to visit was the wand place. Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382b.c. A single wand layed on a purple cushion in the window.

Inside the small, dusty shop was the boy he'd bumped into earlier and another boy who looked strikingly simiular.

"Ah, one moment please," the old man behind the counter said as the boy wearing glasses swished a wand, making boxes tumble down violently from the shelves. Phoenix watched as box after box was knocked off, the old man behind the counter getting giddier and giddier. "Ah," Ollivander said, finally looking up at him. "I didn't think I would see all three of you together, hm." Phoenix felt watched as the tape measure circled first the other boy then him; it was shockingly cold and a bit invasive as the tape measure flew aroun him, documenting everything from his wrists to his nostrils.

"Which is your wand hand?" Ollivander asked, already turning away towards the shelves behind him.

"Er, right," the other boy said as Phoenix said, "Left."

"Hm," and just like that he was off. While the three boys were finding wands, Phoenix couldn't help but notice that the other two looked even more similar up close.

They're brothers, must be, he decided as the wand in his hand was snatched away again. This went on for some time until the first boy found his wand.

"Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple," Ollivander said as he moved on to the next set of boxes.

The other black haired boy was the next to get his wand. "Blackthorn and unicorn hair, thirteen inches, bendy," Ollivander handed Phoenix a wand then snathced it back. The pattern continued with just as much difficulty as the other two. Phoenix took the newly offered wand and gave it the barest of waves, surprised when small sparks shot out from the tip. "Walnut and dragonstring, ten inches, flexible. That'll be twenty-one together, seven a piece," he said.

The trio paid for their wands and as they were leaving the store Ollivander called out a final good-bye. "It was nice seeing you all together, have a nice day."

"What was he talking about?" Harry asked Vega as the three boys exited the store. "Well, people say 'have a good day' when they're being polite, Harry," the other commented dryly. Harry gave his brother a dirty look before glancing at the redhead next to him. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Phoenix," he said, glancing from his bag to grin at them. The other two looked at each other as the redhead elaborated. "My name's Phoenix, what's yours? Oh, maybe we're part of some quest, like we're suppose to save all of the people from the thing?"

Harry blinked before repeating, "The thing?"

"Yeah, you know, the thing. There's always a thing, like a natural disaster or some homicidal sociopath that craves death and distruction and human sacrifies? That thing."

Vega leaned slightly away from the rambling redhead as Phoenix continued listing all of the 'things' he considered quest worthy. "Harry, and this is Vega," Harry said while Phoenix gathered his breath. "Nice to meet you," he gave them a lop-sided grin. "Are you two brothers?"

The two glanced at each other before nodding, "Yep, but we have a third brother."

"Really," he mused, "older or younger?"

"Younger, we're triplets," Harry said, watching the redhead closely as his eyes shapened. "Hm, triplets," his intense stare from earlier disappeared as he leaned against one of the store walls.

Before they could say anything Hagrid called for Harry and Lyra called for Vega. The three of them exchanged pleasentries before the two boys headed off to their respective people. "Come on, Harry, yeh'll see them again on the Hogwarts Express."

Hagrid led Harry back towards Diagon Alley's enterance.

Harry glanced back as they left, noting Vega had disappeared into the crowd and Phoenix was still leaning against the wall, watching him and possibly Vega, as well. When the two made eye contact, the redhead casually waved at him before pushing off the wall and walking in he other direction.

What a strange day, Harry thought as they entered the Leaky Cauldron once more. Strange indeed.

Phoenix rounded the cornor of Gringotts before stopping to pull out the photo he always kept on him. "Found you," he whispered as he studied the three babies. It was no coincidence that two people looked alike but also happened to be triplets, he was sure that those were his brothers. Ollivanders parting words took on a new meaning as he strolled through the crowded alley.

Of course Ollivander thought it was nice to see them together again. They hadn't been together since before their parents died and thought they never would be again. Yes, Phoenix knew that there was a possibilty that Harry and Vega weren't his brothers, but the risks far out-weighed the slight disappointment and embarrassment.

He would see them again, on that he was sure of. Phoenix waited several minutes before a lone witch went by and towards the Leaky Cauldron's enterance. He quickly joined her, a few steps behind, before slipping through after her and heading towards the train station. He re-adjusted his glasses as he waited for his train, already planning how to make sure Harry and Vega were really his brothers.


End file.
